Alina Jidkova

Alina Vladimirovna Jidkova (Алина Владимировна Жидкова; born 18 January 1977) is a former professional tennis player from Russia. Throughout her career, she found success in both singles and doubles. Jidkova reached her career-high singles ranking of world No. 51 in March 2005, achieving strong singles performances against top players. She defeated several high-ranked opponents, including Serena Williams at Generali Linz in 2004, and also claimed wins over Mary Pierce, Jelena Janković, and Samantha Stosur.

In doubles, she won a WTA title at the Mexican Open 2005 and reached three other WTA finals, including the Memphis Open 2003, Québec Open 2006, and Cincinnati Open 2007. Her doubles ranking peaked at No. 50 in August 2003.

Career In 2004, she reached the quarterfinals of Generali Ladies Linz after beating Serena Williams in straight sets. Aside from Williams, she has career victories against Jelena Janković, Mary Pierce, Samantha Stosur, Alicia Molik, Chanda Rubin, Amanda Coetzer, Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Amy Frazier, Petra Martić, Mirjana Lučić-Baroni, Vera Dushevina and other notable players. In 2005, she won her single WTA Tour event, the Mexican Open doubles title in Acapulco, partnering with Tatiana Perebiynis. She has also finished runner-up on three other occasions.

Retirement and coaching career She retired from professional tennis at the beginning of the 2011 season. Her last official singles match played was against Monica Puig, 2016 Olympic champion at the end of 2010 season. Being a PTA Certified Tennis Coach, she worked as a head coach for Galina Voskoboeva, Ksenia Pervak and Kaia Kanepi.

As a coach, Jidkova was part of the 2012 Olympics, coaching Galina Voskoboeva, who represented Team Kazakhstan. In 2017, she also coached Kaia Kanepi to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open.

Alongside her work with established athletes, she mentors young players, helping them reach the skill level needed for potential recruitment by top college tennis programs.

ITF World Tennis Masters Tour (seniors' circuit) As of 2024, Jidkova has been playing doubles on the ITF World Tennis Masters Tour, now representing the United States of America. Partnering Julie Thu, she won both tournaments she entered so far, an MT1000 in Houston and an MT700 in Austin, Texas.

Personal life Nicknamed “Alinka”, Alina Jidkova was born in Moscow, then part of the Soviet Union, into an athletic family. Her father, Vladimir, was an engineer and former weightlifter, while her mother, Lina, was a sprinter before becoming a school teacher. She grew up training at the Spartak Moscow Tennis Club and later the Spartak Tennis Academy.

Seeking further development, Jidkova moved to the United States to train at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. She now resides in The Woodlands, Texas with her husband, entrepreneur Sascha Ghods. The couple married on 18 December 2010 in Vienna, Austria, and have two children. Their son, currently training under Jidkova’s guidance, is also pursuing a career in tennis.

WTA Tour Finals

Doubles: 4 (1 title, 3 runner-ups) ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1. Feb 2003 U.S. National Indoors Hard (i) Bryanne Stewart Saori Obata Akiko Morigami 1–6, 1–6Win 2. Feb 2005 Mexican Open Clay Tatiana Perebiynis Rosa María Andrés Rodríguez Conchita Martínez Granados 7–5, 6–3Loss 3. Oct 2006 Tournoi de Québec, Canada Hard Jill Craybas Carly Gullickson Laura Granville 3–6, 4–6Loss 4. Jul 2007 Cincinnati Open, U.S. Hard Tatiana Poutchek Bethanie Mattek Sania Mirza 6–7(4–7), 5–7

ITF finals Legend$100,000 tournaments$75,000 tournaments$50,000 tournaments$25,000 tournaments$10,000 tournaments

Singles: 17 (9–8) OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreWinner 1. 27 October 1997 ITF Culiacán, Mexico Hard Petya Marinova 6–3, 6–0Runner-up 2. 11 May 1998 ITF Poza Rica, Mexico Hard Vanessa Menga 2–6, 7–6, 1–6Winner 3. 18 May 1998 ITF Coatzacoalcos, Mexico Hard Adria Engel 6–3, 6–1Runner-up 4. 4 January 1999 ITF San Antonio, United States Hard Holly Parkinson 6–3, 4–6, 3–6Winner 5. 17 January 1999 ITF Miami, United States Hard Helen Crook 6–2, 7–5Runner-up 6. 31 January 1999 ITF Clearwater, United States Hard Miroslava Vavrinec 0–6, 6–7Winner 7. 19 July 1999 ITF Peachtree, United States Hard Erika deLone 6–7, 7–6, 6–4Runner-up 8. 16 July 2000 ITF Peachtree, United States Hard Sandra Cacic 0–6, 2–4 ret.Winner 9. 11 September 2000 ITF Hopewell Junction, United States Hard Jennifer Hopkins 6–3, 6–0Winner 10. 9 October 2000 ITF Miramar, United States Clay Rossana de los Ríos 1–6, 7–6, 6–2Runner-up 11. 27 November 2000 ITF Tucson, United States Hard Katalin Marosi 7–6, 4–6, 3–6Runner-up 12. 29 January 2001 ITF Clearwater, United States Hard Anikó Kapros 3–6, 2–6Runner-up 13. 29 January 2001 ITF Fresno, United States Hard Marissa Irvin 2–6, 1–6Winner 14. 5 November 2001 ITF Pittsburgh, United States Hard (i) Marie-Ève Pelletier 6–4, 6–1Winner 15. 23 July 2002 ITF Louisville, United States Hard Saori Obata 6–3, 6–4Winner 16. 9 January 2007 ITF Tampa, United States Hard Olga Vymetálková 6–2, 6–2Runner-up 17. 5 June 2007 ITF Madrid, Spain Clay Carla Suárez Navarro 2–6, 1–6

Doubles: 30 (9–21) OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreRunner-up 1. 21 February 1994 ITF Amadora, Portugal Hard Anna Linkova Teodora Nedeva Antoaneta Pandjerova 3–6, 1–6Runner-up 2. 29 January 1996 Open de Saint-Malo, France Hard (i) Pavlina Bartůňková Ariadne Katsouli Bérangère Quillot 2–6, 2–6Runner-up 3. 4 August 1996 ITF Catania, Italy Clay Teodora Nedeva Katia Altilia Laura Fodorean 6–1, 4–6, 3–6Winner 4. 6 October 1996 ITF Langenthal, Switzerland Carpet (i) Helena Vildová Caecilia Charbonnier Andrea Schwarz 6–4, 6–4Winner 5. 23 March 1997 ITF Victoria, Mexico Hard Paola Arrangoiz Karin Palme Graciela Vélez 5–7, 6–0, 6–2Runner-up 6. 27 October 1997 ITF Culiacán, Mexico Hard Paola Arrangoiz Lucila Becerra Isabela Petrov 5–7, 0–6Runner-up 7. 19 January 1998 ITF Miami, U.S. Hard Aliénor Tricerri Lilia Osterloh Zuzana Valeková 4–6, 4–6Winner 8. 4 May 1998 ITF Tampico, Mexico Hard Adria Engel Paula Cabezas Vanessa Menga 7–6, 7–5Runner-up 9. 11 May 1998 ITF Poza Rica, Mexico Hard Adria Engel Paula Cabezas Vanessa Menga 6–3, 2–6, 2–6Runner-up 10. 18 May 1998 ITF Coatzacoalcos, Mexico Hard Adria Engel Paula Cabezas Vanessa Menga 3–6, 2–6Winner 11. 23 November 1998 ITF Culiacán, Mexico Clay Renata Kolbovic Zsófia Gubacsi Aliénor Tricerri 6–3, 6–2Runner-up 12. 4 January 1999 ITF San Antonio, U.S. Hard Holly Parkinson Kylie Hunt Julie Thu 6–7, 4–6Runner-up 13. 8 February 1999 ITF Rockford, U.S. Hard (i) Holly Parkinson Lilia Osterloh Katie Schlukebir 6–7, 2–6Winner 14. 19 September 1999 ITF Hopewell, U.S. Hard Li Fang Dawn Buth Kim Grant 6–3, 6–3Runner-up 15. 1 May 2001 ITF Dothan, U.S. Clay Gabriela Voleková Marissa Irvin Janet Lee 0–6, 2–6Winner 16. 14 October 2001 ITF Hallandale Beach, U.S. Clay Jessica Steck Erica Krauth Vanesa Krauth 4–6, 6–2, 6–3Winner 17. 12 November 2001 ITF Hattiesburg, U.S. Hard Abigail Spears Rika Hiraki Nana Miyagi 6–3, 6–1Runner-up 18. 3 December 2001 ITF West Columbia, U.S. Hard Abigail Spears Amanda Augustus Jennifer Embry 6–0, 3–6, 3–6Runner-up 19. 3 December 2002 ITF Boynton Beach, U.S. Clay Lina Krasnoroutskaya Katalin Marosi Samantha Reeves 2–6, 6–7Runner-up 20. 19 October 2003 ITF Sedona, U.S. Clay Rossana de los Ríos Yan Zi Zheng Jie 6–7(2–7), 6–7(3–7)Runner-up 21. 10 November 2003 ITF Eugene, U.S. Hard Tatiana Poutchek Teryn Ashley Shenay Perry 6–3, 2–6, 4–6Runner-up 22. 1 December 2003 ITF Palm Beach Gardens, U.S. Clay Tatiana Panova Melinda Czink Erica Krauth 1–6, 2–6Runner-up 23. 2 June 2008 Internazionale di Roma, Italy Clay Marie-Ève Pelletier Klaudia Jans Alicja Rosolska 3–6, 1–6Winner 24. 18 January 2009 ITF Boca Raton, U.S. Clay Darya Kustova Kimberly Couts Sharon Fichman 6–4, 6–2Runner-up 25. 8 February 2009 ITF Rancho Mirage, U.S. Hard Darya Kustova Natalie Grandin Courtney Nagle 2–6, 6–7(6–8)Runner-up 26. 27 April 2009 Charlottesville Open, U.S. Hard Angela Haynes Carly Gullickson Nicole Kriz 5–7, 6–3, [7–10]Runner-up 27. 10 October 2009 ITF Mexico City Hard Karen Castiblanco María Fernanda Álvarez Terán Frederica Piedade 3–6, 4–6Runner-up 28. 8 March 2010 Clearwater Open, U.S. Hard Laura Siegemund Xu Yifan Zhou Yimiao 4–6, 4–6Winner 29. 19 April 2010 ITF Dothan Pro, U.S. Clay Anastasiya Yakimova María Irigoyen Teodora Mirčić 6–4, 6–2Runner-up 30. 11 October 2010 Classic of Troy, U.S. Hard Laura Siegemund Madison Brengle Asia Muhammad 2–6, 4–6